Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, I wish to receive the following information from your authority:

1. The name, frequency and distribution/circulation of your council newspaper (by council newspaper I mean the most frequently published newspaper or magazine intended for mass distribution covering more than one topic)

2. How much it cost to produce and distribute said newspaper in the last full financial year, and how much was budgeted from council resources in the financial year 2009/2010

3. How much of that cost is offset by advertising

4. How much of that advertising, if any, comes from external sources (ie not from your authority's budgets)?

5. Which other public sector partners pay to run advertising in your newspaper, eg PCTs?

6. Whether recruitment advertising forms part of the advertising in your newspaper?

7. A copy of an editorial policy guide, if one exists, which governs the material which is placed in the newspaper, and how it is decided

8. A copy of an advertising policy guide, if one exists, which governs what sort of advertising is suitable.

9. The number of people employed to put your newspaper/newsletter together, including total cost and staff organisation chart

Some parts of this request may be easier to answer than others, and should this prove to be the case I would ask that you release available data as soon as possible rather than hold up the entire request.

I would prefer to receive this information electronically. If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

If you need any clarification then please contact me at the email. Under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance I would expect you to contact me if you find this request unmanageable in any way.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours faithfully,

L Barnett

Shearwood, Karan (City of Lincoln Council),
Lincoln City Council
6 January 2010

1 Attachment

I refer to your request for information received on 4 January 2010 in
relation to the above.

I apologise for the delay in acknowledging your request but confirm that
your request is being considered under the above Act. You will receive the
information requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days,
subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a
third party.

If appropriate, the information may be provided in paper copy, normal font
size. If you require alternative formats, e.g. language, audio, large
print, etc then please let me know.

For your information, the Act defines a number of exemptions which may
prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an
assessment and if any of the exemptions categories apply then the
information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the
case, including your rights of appeal.

If the information you request contains reference to a third party then
they may be consulted prior to a decision being taken on whether or not to
release the information to you. You will be informed if this is the case.

There may be a fee payable for this information. This will be considered
and you will be informed if a fee is payable. In this event the fee must
be paid before the information is processed and released. The 20 working
day time limit for responses is suspended until receipt of the payment.

If you have any queries or concerns then please contact the Freedom of
Information Officer at the City of Lincoln Council, City Hall, Beaumont
Fee, Lincoln, LN1 1DB. Telephone 01522 873289, e-mail
[1][email address].

Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner
at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 700 [2]www.ico.gov.uk

Karan Shearwood
Legal Officer
City of Lincoln Council
01522 873840
P Be Green - Do not print this e-mail unless you really need to

2 Attachments

I refer to your request for information received on 4 January 2010
concerning the above and attach the information requests.

If you wish to appeal against the handling of your request then please
contact the Freedom of Information Officer at the City of Lincoln Council,
City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln, LN1 1DB. Telephone 01522 873323, e-mail
[1][email address].

Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner
at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 700
[2]www.ico.gov.uk

Karan Shearwood
Legal Officer
City of Lincoln Council
01522 873840
P Be Green - Do not print this e-mail unless you really need to